The Bharatiya Janata Party has criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for prohibiting idol immersions on Friday and Saturday on account of Muharram.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, BJP State president Rahul Sinha urged her to withdraw the restriction. “Your decision to prohibit idol immersions…will hurt the sentiments of Hindus,” he said.
Mr. Sinha also said Ms. Banerjee’s “logic” behind imposing curbs on immersions on Friday due to Muharram does not stand as Muharram falls on Saturday.
Earlier, Ms. Banerjee had said that idol immersions could take place on October 22 and then from October 25 to 2 pm on October 26.
The BJP leadership also argued that since October 22 is a Thursday many family pujas would not be able to immerse the idols due to traditional Hindu religious norms.
“We are urging you to withdraw the prohibition and allow immersions to take place…and are hopeful that you will consider our request in the interest of communal harmony in Bengal,” the letter stated, adding that if it was not possible to allow idol immersions on Friday then it be permitted on other days apart from Saturday.
Organisers ignore HJM call Meanwhile, a right-wing outfit has written to about 1,000 Durga Puja organisers in a bid to “raise awareness” about the “erroneous decision.” The step has been taken by the Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM), an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. .
However none of the Puja organisers responded to the HJM’s call.
“The whole argument is pointless as we went to river Hooghly and immersed the idol. No one from any community or police stopped us. So if most of the Pujas have arranged for the immersion on Friday and Thursday where is the debate?” said a Puja organiser of the Khiderpore area, which is a predominantly mixed neighbourhood. The organisers in other parts of the city said that they do not have any problems if immersions are not allowed due to Muharram on Friday evening and Saturday.
